not what, but how

“T’aint what you do (it’s the way that you do it)”
– Sy Oliver & Trummy Young

‘Not What, But How’ explored our working process, applied during projects carried out in partnership with local organizations and communities in the Philippines and India between 2010-2013. An emphasis was placed not only on final outcomes, but also on the way in which each project was conceived, funded, designed and executed; it wasn’t only about what was made, but how each building came into being.

photo: WORKSHOP

The exhibition was first shown in partnership with the British Council in Delhi at the start of Project Hariharpur in January 2013, when we led the construction of a 1:1 material mock-up as part of an AA Visiting School. For its second incarnation in the Front Members’ Room, we again invited a team of volunteers to collaborate on a structure that tests designs for upcoming projects. This ‘inhabitable shelf’ explored the concept of a thick wall that can be used for both storage and human occupation. Made out of salvaged timber, which was dismantled and re-used after the exhibition, it promoted the frugal use of resources. “Ideas should travel more, materials less.”

Gallery Talk: Saturday 30th November at 11am. Click here for more information.